Pack-away table for portable sewing machines



fip 1@49- J. F. SANTLEY ET AL- 9 PACKAWAY TABLE FOR PORTABLE SEWINGMACHINES Filed Aug. 6, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. N d'wr /sffizvmayg BY film/car ZJSWTLEK Patented Sept. 27, 1949 UNITED STATESPATENTOFFICE PACK-AWAY TABLE FOR PORTABLE SEWING MACHINES Joseph F.Santley and Frances T. Santley, San Francisco, Calif.

Application August 6, 1946, Serial No. 688,648

3 Claims. 1

An object of our invention is to provide a portable sewing machine tablethat may have the legs placed within the interior of the table and thetop, bottom and sides of the table closed so that the folded tableresembles a piece of luggage that may be readily carried.

A further object of our invention is to provide a device of the typedescribed in which novel bracing means is used for rigidly securing thetable legs to the corners of the table when the table is opened up foruse. The work leaf that closes the table top when the table is foldedmay be swung into open position and will lie in the same plane as thetable top. We provide a novel support for the work leaf when it is inopen position. The table is of proper work height and providessufficient work area.

A still further object of our invention isto provide a device of thetype described which resembles a cabinet-type sewing machine table whenthe legs are secured in operative position. The legs are made in twosections so that they may be packed into the interior of the table whennot in use and this permits the length of the table to be made shorterwhile at the same time the table top will have the desired height forsewing purposes when in use. The table is designed to be opened orclosed readily and space is provided within the interior when the tableis folded for carrying articles such as cloth, scissors, thread andother necessary sewing supplies.

The table is simple in construction and is durable and efficient for thepurpose intended. The table makes it possible for the owner to have aportable sewing machine table with all the advantages of the heavypermanent furniture type machine without sacrificing appearance orbeauty.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification,and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a partof this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the table shown in operative position;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the table;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the table when in folded positionready for carrying;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the table with the topremoved and the leafsupporting bracket extended;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the table legs illustrating howthe two leg sections are connected together;

Figure 6 is a vertical section through the table leg and apron andillustrates the springmean for securing the leg in place;

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the table with the table top removed sothat the packed leg sections can be viewed;

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view of the table with the bottom closure inplace and side flaps in closed position;

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the table shown completely folded; I

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the table leg bracket; and

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the partition supporting channel. 7

While we have shown only the preferred form of our invention, it'shouldbe understood that various changes or modifications may be made withinthe scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. A

In carrying out our invention, we provide a table that is composed of atop I, side aprons 2 and 3, and end aprons 4 and 5 The corners formed bythe junctures of the adjacent aprons are rounded slightly so that whenthe table is folded it will resemble a piece of hand luggage. A workleaf 6 is hinged to the table top I at 1 and it is of the same size asthe table top so that it may be swung into closed position to overliethe top. The free end of the leaf is secured to the adjacent end of thetable top by a catch 8 or other suitable fastening means. Figure '7illustrates the top I of the table top as having an opening 9 forreceiving a portable sewing machine indicated generally at A in Figures1 and 2.

On each side of the opening 9, we provide partitions l0 and II and thesepartitions extend throughout the length of the table and have a depthequal to the depth of the aprons. Channel-shaped brackets 39 secure thepartitions in place. Figure 1 indicates how the partitions Ill and I Ihave a recess l2 for receiving the base of the portable sewing machine.

Referring to Figure 4, it will be noted that the partitions It and IIhave grooves 13 in their upper edges for receiving the parallel sides Mof a U-shaped leaf-supporting bracket indicated generally at B. Thisbracket is made of wire having a gage heavy enough to support the workleaf when the latter is in open position. The grooves l3 communicatewith recesses l5 provided in the end apron 4. The transverse orU-portion [6 of the leaf supporting bracket We will now describe how thelegs (3' are re movably secured to the table for supporting it when thetable is used for sewing or the like. Figure 5 illustrates one of thelegs and the leg has an upper section l9 and a removable lower section2%. Any desired means for securing thetwo sections together may beused... We have shown the lower section provided with an integral shank21 that is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the lower section. Theshank 2| is received in a central bore 22 provided in the lower end; ofthe upper leg section. The shank is frictionally held in place by thewall of the bore 22 sothat. it forms a part of the leg so long as thetwo sections are secured together.

The top of the section [it is provided with an L-shaped shoulder 23andasquare shank 25. integralwiththe section i9 extends above the shoulder23 and is offset with respect to the longitudinal axis. of the leg; a 11 In Figure 10 we show a metal leg-holding bracket D that has two sides25 and two end flanges 26. Two or more openings 2? may be provided inthe flanges for receiving screws that have conical-shaped heads, InFigure '7 we show the metal brackets secured inplace at the four cornersof the table. The'shanks 26 of the table legs are received in thesockets formed by the metal brackets and the adjacent-sides of theaprons. The L-shaped shoulders 23 will contact with the undersides ofthe aprons so as to hold the legs against upward movement with respectto the tableproper.

In Figure 6, we show how the leg 0 may be socured to the apron againstaccidental removal. The shank 2 is received between the side 25 of thebracket D and the table apron 4. A spring clip 28 has its base portion29 secured to the underside of the apron 4 by a screw 30. The upstandingpcrtion of the clip has a projection 3! that is adapted to enter arecess 32 formed in the adjacent wall of the shank 2d. The spring clipwiil prevent accidental removal of the leg, but will yield suihcientlyto permit the leg to be manually removed from the bracket. Each tableleg is secured in place by a separate spring clip 28.

In Figure 7, we show two table legsplaced in eachcompartment E and F.The compartment E is provided between the partition 80 and the sideapron 2, and the compartment F between partition 1 i and side apron 3(see Figures 2; i nd 7). The lower leg sections 20 are showndisconnected from the upper sections 69. In Figure 9, we show how twolegs are housed in each compartment.

In Figure 8 the bottom of the table is shown closed by a central bottommember 33 that extends between the end aprons 4 and 5 and between thepartitions i9 and l l. The bottom edges of the aprons 2, 3, t and 5 aregrooved for receiving the ends of the central member 33 and the edges ofside flaps 34 and 35. The side flap 34 is hinged to the central member33 at 36, while the side flap 35 is hinged to the central member at 31.The flap 34 closes the bottom of the compartment E when the table iscollapsed and the flap 35 covers the bottom of the compartment F.Luggage-type locks indicated generally at 38 may be used for securingthe flaps in closed position.

It should be noted in Figure 7 that the ends of the partitions l0 and ll are received in the channel-shaped brackets 39 and these brackets aresecured to the end aprons-4 and 5 by screws or other suitable fasteningmeans. A perspective view of one of the brackets is shown in Figure I1and thisbracket has openings 40 in its web for receiving the screws.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, theoperation thereof may be readily understood.

The table when in operative position has its legs C supporting the tablein the manner already described. The work leaf 6 may be swung into openposition and it can be supported by the leafsupporting bracket 3. Whenit is desired to collapse the table, the leaf 6 is first swung over theupper surface of the top 1' and is secured in closed positionby thecatch 8. The legs 0' are now removed and the lower sections 29 aredisconnected from the upper sections it. The legs are housed in thecompartments E and Fin the manner shown in. Figures? and 9; and thesideflaps close the compartments.

When the table is to be used, the bottom side flaps 35 and 35 are swungover the under surface of the central bottom member 33 and are securedin open position by catches M, or other suitable fastening means (seeFigure 2) The apron side 2' is provided with a commercial flush-typehandie @2' shown in Figure 1, and this handle may be extended forcarrying the table in much the same manner as a suitcase, or other pieceof hand luggage. Thertabl'e is purposely designed: to be simple andcompact in construction so that it can be readily carried. At the sametime when" the table :is open and the work leaf 6 is swung into openposition, the table top and leaf will give ample roomfor'sewingpurposes. When the table is collapsed the central portion between thepartitio'ns it: and H maybe used for storing sewing equipment or anyother desired article. The opening 9 in the tabletop l gives access tothe compartment. 5

The-corner'brackets D give rigidity and stability to the'legs when thetable is: set up. The legs are readilyinsertable: into the brackets orremoved. therefrom. The table legs have extensions and. this permits thetable to be made in a convenient small hand-luggage carrying size sincethe extensions can be removed from the legs and the reduced leg lengthsbe placed in the tabletop interior. The smallerlsize' table'adapts it,when the legextensions are removed, to be used as a cocktail or cofieetable, a bedside table or in fact any place where a low occasional tablewould be used. A

TheU-shapedextensible metal brace B provides a novel means forsupporting the work leaf inopen position. The rooves and the table topgive a sturdy support for the brace without any mechanical devices beingnecessary. The cut out portions in the longitudinal partitions and theopening 9 in the top 'fadapts the table to support thelseveral sizes ofportable sewing machines. By'merelylowering the portable sewing machineinto the table top opening when the table is set up, gives. the ful-l'equivalent to the" re'gular' cabinet ty e sewing machine. {The table toand open work leaf provide adequate work area on a level with the sewingmachine foot. This is of prime importance in any household sewingmachine. The mere removal of the sewing machine and a closing of thework leaf provides an attractive table that can have numerous uses.

We claim:

1. A pack-away table for portable sewing machine comprising arectangular top having an opening therein for receiving the base of aportable sewing machine, two side and two end aprons secured to thesides and ends, respectively, of the top and extending at right anglesthereto, a pair of partitions paralleling the side aprons and beingspaced therefrom and from each other, a bottom closure extending betweenthe partitions and the end aprons to form a central compartment withaccess thereto through, the top opening, hinged side members for closingthe side compartments formed by the partitions and the side aprons, legsfor supporting the table, means disposed within the side compartmentsfor removably supporting the legs in operative position when the sidemembers are opened and expose the means, the side members when openedabutting the bottom closure, means for securing the side members in openposition, the legs when removed from the leg supporting means beingreceivable in the side compartments.

2. A pack-away table for portable sewing machine comprising arectangular top having an openin therein for receiving the base of aportable sewing machine, two side and two end aprons secured to thesides and ends, respectively, of the top, a pair of partitionsparalleling the side aprons and being spaced therefrom and from eachother, a bottom closure extending between the partitions and the endaprons to form a. central compartment with access thereto through thetop opening, hinged side members for closing the side compartmentsformed by the partitions and the side aprons, legs for supporting thetable, means disposed within the side compartments for removablysupporting the legs in operative position when the side members areopened and expose the means, the legs when removed from the legsupporting means being receivable in the side compartments.

3. A pack-away table for portable sewing machine comprising arectangular top having an opening therein for receiving the base of aportable sewing machine, two side and two end aprons secured to thesides and ends, respectively, of the top, a pair of reinforcingpartitions paralleling the side aprons and being spaced therefrom andfrom each other, reinforcing partitions being disposed underneath thesewing machine and having recesses therein to receive the bases ofvarious sizes of sewing machines, a bottom closure extending between thepartitions and the end aprons to form a central compartment with accessthereto through the top opening, hinged side members for closing theside compartments formed by the partitions and side aprons, legs forsupporting the table, and means disposed within the side compartmentsfor removably supporting the legs in operative position when the sidemembers are opened for exposing the leg-supporting means.

JOSEPH F. SANTLEY.

FRANCES T. SAN TLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 898,778 Phelan Sept. 15, 1908908,487 Nail Jan. 5, 1909 1,178,610 Weiss Apr. 11, 1916 1,200,625Landauer Oct. 10, 1916 1,559,794 Sherrod Nov. 3, 1925 1,595,379 ChildsAug.l0, 1926 1,724,811 Viehmann Aug. 13, 1929 1,797,698 Sanders et al'Mar. 24, 1931 40 1,798,786 Chason Mar. 31, 1931 1,978,827 Vinding Oct.30, 1934 2,248,871 Howe July 8, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date368.407 Italy Feb. 15. 1939

